EXOseeker
Our mission is to process thousands of observations from the Kepler and TESS space telescopes, identifying patterns that indicate the presence of potentially habitable planets in distant star systems.
What is an Exoplanet?
An exoplanet is a planet located outside of our Solar System, orbiting a star other than the Sun. Also called extrasolar planets, these worlds vary greatly in size and type, from gas giants larger than Jupiter to rocky, Earth-like bodies and even planets that wander through space untethered to any star, known as "rogue planets". Scientists detect exoplanets using powerful telescopes and study them to understand planetary formation and the possibility of life beyond Earth.
Why Study Exoplanets?
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Search for Life: One of the primary motivations for exoplanet research is the hunt for habitable worlds and signs of extraterrestrial life.
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Understanding Planetary Systems: Studying exoplanets helps scientists learn how planets form, develop, and how common planetary systems are throughout the universe.
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Understanding Our Own Planet: By observing the diversity of exoplanets and their environments, scientists gain deeper insights into the conditions that make planets, including Earth, potentially capable of supporting life.
The Databases
Kepler
First Mission
The Kepler Mission was a NASA space telescope launched in 2009 that searched for planets outside our solar system (exoplanets) by observing the dimming of distant stars. Kepler was the first mission focused on this search and, in its nine years of operation, discovered thousands of exoplanets, revolutionizing our understanding of the frequency of these worlds and the potential for life in the galaxy. After a failure that ended its primary mission, Kepler was adapted for the K2 mission, finally being deactivated in 2018 due to lack of fuel.
Confirmed planets
Not Planets
Candidates
K2
Kepler K2 Mission
The K2 Mission was a continuation of NASA's original Kepler space telescope mission, which continued the search for exoplanets and expanded observations into other fields of astrophysics. Developed after Kepler lost stability due to gyroscope problems, K2 used an innovative technique to control the telescope and observe different fields of the sky, identifying hundreds of new exoplanets and candidates, as well as studying other phenomena such as stars and galaxies.
Confirmed planets
Not Planets
Candidates
Tess
Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite
The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission is a NASA mission, led by MIT, that uses the transit method to find and study exoplanets, or planets outside our solar system. Launched in April 2018, TESS monitors the brightest stars nearby for periodic dips in their light, indicating the passage of a planet in front of them. The satellite is designed to discover thousands of planets, including those that may be habitable, and has already found a large number of exoplanet candidates for further study.